This invention relates to an updating mechanism for software applications.
The invention is concerned with the problem of updating a number of software applications installed in a number of client computers. Conventionally, this is done by distributing the update information on media such as floppy disks or CD-ROMs. It is also possible for users to download required updates over a network from a file server, for example using a standard file transfer protocol such as ftp.
Problems with these existing methods of updating software applications are that they are inconvenient for the user, requiring the user to perform actions to obtain the necessary update information and to install it on the user's computer, and that the administrative function does not know whether the update has been done. The object of the present invention is to provide a more convenient and user-friendly mechanism for performing updates.